


If You Let Me In

by GHOST_IN_A_GIRLS_BODY



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24878629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GHOST_IN_A_GIRLS_BODY/pseuds/GHOST_IN_A_GIRLS_BODY
Summary: It's been three days since the funeral and Zoey breakdowns in tears and decides to call on instinct the one person who has always been there for her. The one person she's been so scared to let in and know how she truly feels.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke & Max Richman, Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	If You Let Me In

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first fan fic and I normally only write graphic horror stuff, so please don't hate me if it's terrible. Songs I used for this chapter are:
> 
> Fix You by: Coldplay 
> 
> Arms by: Christina Perri 
> 
> I Wanna Be There by: Blessid Union of Souls
> 
> As always any mess ups are my own so, sorry if there are a lot of them
> 
>   
> Enjoy :)

It had been three days since the funeral and Zoey had came back to her apartment for the first time since she buried her father. She decided to take a nice long shower for a while and then got dressed, a N.A.S.A. t-shirt, a baggy hoodie, and a pair of leggings. Then she sat on her bed and started to cry. After a few minutes she picked up her phone off her nightstand and on instinct called the one person who has always been there for her and who she realized she needed more than she did anyone else and always will for the rest of her life.

"Hey Zo, I promise everything's gonna be alright you just gotta give it some time okay." Max said as he sat on the floor of Zoey's apartment holding her as she cried into his arms, rubbing his hands up and down her back trying to comfort her. She had called him an hour ago crying only being able to choke "Max I...." and as soon as he heard her he said "Hold on Zo, I'll be right there, okay." she let out a ragged breath in response. He hung up the phone, put it in his pocket, grabbed his car keys off the top of his piano and drove as fast as he could without getting a ticket in the direction of her apartment. 

Zoey let out a loud breath and nodded her head against him as she continued sobbing into his chest. Her heart racing as she thought about the fact that she just wanted to stay in his arms leaning against his chest for the rest of her life, when she heard the faint chords of a heart song start to play. 

She heard Max start to sing as he pulled her closer to his chest.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed  
When you get what you want, but not what you need  
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep  
Stuck in reverse

She lifted her head up and looked at his face, seeing his eyes gazing down at her filled with a mix of love and concern. 

And the tears come streaming down your face  
When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone, but it goes to waste  
Could it be worse?

As soon as she heard those last two lines she realized how unfair she has been to him and his feelings. He gave her everything. He gave her his kindness and friendship when no one else would, his time and patience and even put his own feelings aside so she could process her thoughts and grieve her father's illness and his death. But, most importantly he gave her his love. How was she going to make sure his love for her didn't go to waste?

She continued thinking about all of this as Max continued to sing.

Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
I will try to fix you

High up above or down below  
When you're too in love to let it go  
But if you never try you'll never know  
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face  
When you lose something you cannot replace  
Tears stream down your face and I  
Tears stream down your face  
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes  
Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you

She didn't realize the song was over until she felt Max loosen his embrace around her and asked her if she was okay.

"Hey Zo, are you okay? You've been staring off into space with a far off look on your face for the last few minutes". 

"Max" was all Zoey could choke out.

"Yeah Zoey?" Max asked as he furrowed his brow in concern then pulled her close to his chest again.

She let out a sigh and realized what she had to do. Max deserved the truth. 

She lifted her head back up so her gaze could meet his and began to speak. 

"Max over the last few days I've realized how much you mean to me and how much I need you in my life". She said that last part all in one breath, being afraid if she didn't she wouldn't say it at all. 

"Zoey... " Max began but was immediately cut off.

"Max stop... Please just let me finish, okay"? She waited a few seconds for him to respond. 

He gave her another concern look, then nodded his head and said "Okay".

"I've always been bad at anything involving my emotions. You know it, I know it, hell anybody who's ever met me knows it". Tears continued to pour down her face as she let out a small bitter laugh that sliced through his heart and he winced at the pain. He saw she noticed when she took both of his hands in hers and squeezed them in response. He gave her a small soft smile in return and nodded for her to continue. 

"For as long as I can remember I've been scared of letting anyone in and letting them know what I'm feeling. I've always had a hard time trusting people and always pushed them away". She let out another choked sob out and Max pulled her closer to his chest again. 

"Hey, hey Zoey it's okay. I've waited this long, I'll fifty years if I have to…" 

"Max I love you!!!" blurted out of her lips interrupting him speak in the process. She saw the shocked and concerned look on his face, winced at the sight and then continued telling him how she truly felt. 

"And I'm pretty sure I have since the day we met, I was just scared". He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it so he just let her continue to talk. 

"That's why I think I was so freaked out when I found you loved me. I just wasn't ready to admit to myself that I loved you back because I was scared of letting you in, getting hurt, and losing you." She waited a few seconds before she continued. 

That's also why I think I was attracted to Simon". She saw him wince again because of her and hated herself for hurting him so much. He tried to say something but she cut him off again before he could even get a single word out. 

"Max you were right when you said that I wasn't in love with him and that I was in love with you instead". 

"Zo…"

"The only reason I ran away from you and your love was because I feel like I don't deserve it. That I should be with someone like him who is battered and broken like me. Someone who won't love me like you do because I don't deserve it. I never have and never will, and Max you deserve someone who isn't broken. Someone who can give you all the love that you deserve because no matter how much I try I just can't". 

They were both quiet for a few seconds just staring at each other, tears now coming out of his eyes too, when they both heard the quiet chords of a guitar and a violin start to play around them. They both looked around them and then back at each other as Zoey started to sing.

I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart  
But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start

Max looked at Zoey in disbelief. He couldn't believe this was happening. He had to be dreaming, right? He thought that he would just wake up in a couple minutes in his bedroom alone wishing that she was laying next to him just like he always did. 

You put your arms around me  
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go  
You put your arms around me and I'm home

"Zoey I..." He started but fell silent as he heard the song continue.

How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around?  
I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown

I hope that you see right through my walls  
I hope that you catch me 'cause I'm already falling  
I'll never let our love get so close  
You put your arms around me and I'm home

The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved  
I never wanna leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone

You put your arms around me  
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go...

I hope that you see right through my walls  
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling  
I'll never let our love get so close  
You put your arms around me and I'm home

I try my best to never let you in to see the truth  
And I've never opened up  
I've never truly loved till you put your arms around me  
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go

As soon as he heard all of those words come out of her mouth he felt his heart shatter. But he saw and understood everything she said and felt and, In that moment he knew he would give her all the space she needed and would do anything he could to show her that she wasn't broken and was way more than worthy and deserving of his love. 

I hope that you see right through my walls  
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling  
I'll never let our love get so close  
You put your arms around me and I'm home

You put your arms around me and I'm home

As soon as she finishes singing she latches onto his chest and starts sobbing again. 

Max, still unaware that he already had sung to her tonight, pulls her in closer to his chest again and decides to sing a song for his response. 

Won't you let me catch your fall?  
Won't you let me lend a hand?  
Those lonely eyes have seen it all  
But love's too blind to understand

Cause you don't know what you have  
Til your everything is gone  
You need someone to show you  
How to live again

I wanna be there when you're feeling high  
I wanna be there when you wanna die  
I'm gonna light your fire, I'm gonna feel your flame  
I wanna be there when you go insane  
I wanna be there when you're feeling down  
And I'll be there when your head is spinnin 'round  
Gonna be your lover, gonna be your friend  
I wanna be there til the end

You wouldn't know that I was there  
Cause I have been there all the time  
And if I had my way I'd hold you in my arms  
And leave this madness all behind

She started crying even harder and hugged him as tight as she could when she heard that verse.

Cause you got so much to give  
But you throw it all away  
And all you've got to show for  
Who you are is pain

And I've got so much to give  
If you'd only let me in  
I'm gonna take the time  
To show you I'm a friend  
You'll believe in love again

I wanna be there in the pouring rain  
I wanna be there when you call my name  
Gonna light your fire, I'm gonna feel your flame  
I wanna be there when you go insane  
I wanna be there when I'm outta town  
And when your whole damn world is crashing down  
I'm gonna be your lover, gonna be your friend  
I'm wanna be there til the end

Cause you don't know what you have  
Til your everything is gone  
You need someone to show you  
How to live again

And I've got so much to give  
If you'd only let me in  
I'm gonna take the time  
To show you I'm a friend  
You'll believe again

I wanna be there when your baby cries  
I wanna be there when they tell you lies  
I'm gonna light your fire, gonna feel your flame  
I wanna be there when you go insane  
I wanna be there when your nights are long  
And when you're feeling like you don't belong  
Gonna be your lover, gonna be your friend  
Gonna be there til the end

I'm gonna be there in the morning  
I'm gonna be there in the night  
I'm gonna be your lover, gonna be your friend  
I'm gonna be there til the end, yeah

After he sung the last line of the song he bent his head down so he could kiss her forehead, and began to whisper in her ear.

"Zoey, everything's gonna be alright, okay. I promise to give you all the time you need and I'll be right by your side through whatever happens, no matter what. 

"Okay." Zoey choked out. 

He went silent for a while and then continued.

"But Zoey just so you know you are nowhere near broken, okay. You're beautiful and smart and kind and sweet and the biggest nerd I've ever met". Max declared and laughed at that last part as he shifted her in his arms so that his face was overlooking hers. He used his thumb to wipe away tears on her cheeks. 

"I just can't lose you." Zoey said looking in his eyes 

"I know you can't, I can't lose you either Zo, and I promise we won't lose each other, okay, and I know that this is all really hard for you. But, I need you to understand that I know you need time and space to let me in and I'm willing to wait the rest of my life for you if I have to and nothing can ever change that".

"But Max, that's the problem! We don't know how much time we get together. I don't wanna waste any second of the time we have left and besides I don't need all the time in the world, I just need you and need to take "us" slow, okay?" Zoey ranted out. Took a deep breath, then lifted her head up again and kissed him. 

He was stunned for the first few seconds but then started to kiss her back and turned his head in to deepen the kiss. The kiss lasted for about another thirty seconds before they both pulled away out of breath with big goofy grins on their faces.

"Zoey, we can take it as slow as you want and need as long as we can do that again sometime". 

She laughed, kissed him and said "You're such a big dork".

"Yes, but I'm you dork remember" Max responded pulling her back into his arms laughing. 

" How could I ever forget." She replied, laying her head on his chest listening to music of his heart beat. 

Little did they know Mo who was just on the other side of Zoey's door just whispered "Well it's about Damn time those two stopped acting like fools and finally got together. " Turning around and quietly heading into his own apartment with a big smile on his face.


End file.
